Can opener



E. M. MONTES.

' CAN OPENER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21. 1919- Patented Jan. 311, 11922.

INVENTOR.

'A Tramp.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 31, 1922.

Application filed June 21, 1919. Serial No. 305,928.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDUARDO MENENDEZ Mourns, a subject of the King of Spain, residing at Gijon, in the Province of Oviedo and Kingdom of Spain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can Openers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a can opener characterized by extreme simplicity and economy of construction; which is susceptible of being manufactured quickly; which is small in size; which is in one piece; which may be cut and stamped up from sheet metal; which may be successfully operated with ease and celerlty; and which is provided with means adapted, when the cutting operation is completed, to be engaged with the severed can top to lift the same.

In the form of the invention exemplified in the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of a can-opener constructed in accordance with my invention in operative position with reference to a can;

Figure 2 is a view in edge or side elevation of said can-opener;

Figure 3 is a View, in front elevation, of said can-opener;

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a view, in perspective, of said can-opener in operative position with reference to a can, in lifting the severed cancover.

The exemplary construction shown in the drawing may now be described in detail as follows:

The can-opener may be cut or stamped up from sheet metal, and is in one piece.

It comprises an elongated body portion 1,

preferably provided with a longitudinallyextending corrugation forming, on one face of said body portion, a rib 2, and on the reverse face a groove 3, which tend to prevent slipping of the operators fingers when the said body portion is grasped in operating the can-opener, as shown in Figure 1.

The body portion 1 carries oppositely disposed, lateral, angled wings or projections 4 and 5, both extending from one side thereof and, preferably, of differing sizes (the former being larger than the latter) and having differing functions.

The wing 4: is provided with a lower edge 4', inclined with respect tothe side edges thereof, and with an outer side edge 4 The wing 4, at the junction of the lower and outer edges 4: and 43, respectively, forms a pointed extremity 4 which is stabbed or forced through the can top, preparatory to severing said top from the can. At the end of the edge 4* opposite the pointed extremity 4 there is formed an outward-projecting toe 4, which acts as a stop to contact with the can top and limit movement of the can-opener when rocked or oscillated in a direction to move said toe into contact with the can cover a.

The side edge of the body portion 1, which carries the wings, is notchedor incut, as shown at 6, at a point adjacent the rear end of the lower edge 4' of the wing 4, for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

The wing 5 is preferably provided with an upper edge 5, inclined with respect to i the side edge 5 thereof, so as to provide, as it were, a hook for the purpose hereinafter appearing.

Both wings 4 and 5 are obviously formed by bending these portions of the device at right angles to the plane of the body portion 1.

In use, the body portion 1 of the canopener is grasped by the operators right hand, as shown in Figure 1, and the pointed extremity 4c of the blade 4C is forced through the top a of the can A, the blade 4 penetrating the can cover until the spun-over flange a of the cover a seats in the recess or cutaway portion 6. The operator is then enabled to rock the device in an oscillatory manner on the flange a, as a fulcrum. The operator then, with his left hand, turns the can from right to left, during the oscillatory movement referred to, and the edge 4: of the knife or blade portion 4 of the device severs the can cover a in a circular path adjacent the flange a.

The device is preferably made of metal of sufficient thinness to obviate the necessity of sharpening the edges of the wing or blade 4. j h

When the severing operation has been completed, the projection or hook 5 may be engaged beneath the can cover a, as graphically illustrated in Figure 5, so as to tilt the same upward and thus lift it from the can A.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim to be new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A one-piece can-opener, including a lateral angled projection engageable beneath the severed top of a can to lift the same from the latter.

2. A one-piece can-opener, comprising a body portion having an angled wing, constituting a cutting blade, said blade having a pointed extremity to penetrate a can top preparatory to severing the same from the can, and said blade at the end thereof opposite said pointed extremity having an outward-projecting toe, constituting a stop to contact with the can top and thus limit penetration of the blade in the cutting operation.

3. A one-piece can-opener, comprising a body portion having an angled wing, constituting a cutting blade, and an angled projection engageable beneath the top of the severed can cover to lift the same from the can.

4. A one-piece can-opener, comprising a body portion having an angled-wing, constituting a cutting blade, said wing having a pointed extremity to penetrate the can cover preparatory to severing the same from the can, and the end of said blade opposite said inted extremity having a toe, constitutlng a stop to contact with the cantop, thus limiting penetration of the blade in the cutting operation, said body por tion having also a notch in the side thereof which carries said blade, the spun-over flange of the can-cover seating in said notch during the cutting operation, and constituting a fulcrum for the cutting blade.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDUARDO MENENDEZ MONTHS. Witnesses:

POMPEYO JoNIALEn, CAsIMmO VALAOER. 

